North Texas
North Texas
Jenny the Elephant Becomes Dallas City Hall Campaign Issue
(2009-04-15)
Ruth Buzzi
(KERA) - Jenny -- the Elephant at the Dallas Zoo -- is being launched into the political spotlight and onto billboards. KERA's BJ Austin says it's part of the effort to send her to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee.

Concerned Citizens for Jenny founder -- Margaret Morin -- says the group has put up half a dozen billboards urging Dallas citizens to "Save Jenny", and VOTE May 9th - when all 14 city council members are up for election.

Morin: Jenny should be a campaign issue. Why should the city council get away with spending 30 million dollars on an exhibit that does not meet the needs of elephants.

Ruth Buzzi of TV's Laugh-In helped launch the billboard campaign outside the Dallas Zoo. She says the expensive elephant habitat under construction is too small, and won't help Jenny. But the Zoo's Chuck Siegel says disagrees.

Buzzi: It will cost the city of Dallas nothing to send Jenny to the elephant sanctuary.

Siegel: Taking care of elephants is not simply about "space". There's a whole range of care that's important.

The billboards feature Lily Tomlin, Emmy Lou Harris and Kinky Friedman with Jenny. Margaret Morin says the group's website identifies the council candidates' views on "Jenny."

Email BJ Austin

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